Report on Integrated Air Quality Monitoring During Wildfire Events and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary: Public Health and Urban Resilience

A retrospective analysis of the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires underscores the critical need for integrated air quality monitoring systems to protect public health and enhance urban resilience. The event, which produced hazardous levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), highlights challenges and opportunities related to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Combining data from federal monitors, low-cost sensors, and satellites provides a comprehensive information framework, enabling citizens to make informed decisions that mitigate health risks and strengthen community resilience against climate-related disasters.

Analysis of Data Sources and Alignment with SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The study evaluates three primary sources of air quality data, each with distinct advantages and limitations. The integration of these sources exemplifies the multi-stakeholder collaboration advocated for in SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) to achieve sustainable outcomes.

• Federal EPA Monitoring Stations: Provide highly accurate, regulatory-grade data, forming the backbone of official air quality reporting. However, their sparse geographical distribution limits localized coverage, which is critical during dynamic events like wildfires.
• Low-Cost Sensor Networks: Offer dense, real-time, and localized data, filling coverage gaps left by federal monitors. While less precise, their proliferation provides granular insights into neighborhood-level air quality, directly supporting SDG 11’s goal of making communities safer.
• Satellite Observations: Capture wide-area smoke plume movement, offering a macro-level view of a disaster’s atmospheric impact. This data is vital for predictive modeling and early warnings but may not always reflect ground-level conditions impacting human health.

Key Findings: Impact on SDG 3 and SDG 11

During the January 7-12, 2025, fire period in Los Angeles County, the combined data provided a detailed assessment of the public health threat, directly impacting the objectives of SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

1. Hazardous Air Quality Levels Confirmed: The integration of data confirmed a severe public health risk. Twelve low-cost sensors near the fires registered PM2.5 levels in the “Hazardous” Air Quality Index (AQI) range, while EPA stations in downtown Los Angeles and Compton recorded “Unhealthy” and “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” levels, respectively. This data is crucial for public health advisories aimed at achieving SDG Target 3.9, which seeks to reduce illnesses from air pollution.
2. Enhanced Situational Awareness for Urban Populations: The combination of ground-level sensor data with satellite imagery of smoke plumes provided a more complete operational picture. This synergy allows for more accurate public warnings, helping residents reduce exposure and contributing to SDG Target 11.5, which aims to reduce the number of people affected by disasters.
3. Importance of Accessible Information: The study concludes that making this synthesized data easily accessible through platforms like the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map is essential for empowering the public. Timely and accurate information enables individuals to take protective measures, a cornerstone of building resilient and sustainable communities (SDG 11).

Conclusion: A Framework for Climate Action and Resilience

The successful combination of multiple data sources during the Los Angeles wildfires serves as a model for strengthening resilience to climate-related hazards, a primary objective of SDG 13 (Climate Action). By providing a fuller, more timely picture of air quality, this integrated approach empowers communities to mitigate the health impacts of environmental disasters, thereby advancing global goals for health, urban sustainability, and climate resilience.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • The article directly connects wildfire smoke to public health. It states that “Wildfire smoke poses health risks” and that the goal of providing air quality information is to “mitigate potential health risks” and “reduce smoke exposure.” The mention of PM2.5 levels reaching “Unhealthy” to “Hazardous” ranges further emphasizes the immediate health impacts of air pollution from the fires.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • The entire context of the article is urban—the January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles. The central problem discussed is how to provide city residents with “timely and accurate air quality information” to make their environment safer during a disaster. The article also notes the destruction of “tens of thousands of homes and businesses,” highlighting the impact of the disaster on the city’s infrastructure and population.

3. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Wildfires are a type of climate-related natural disaster. The article’s focus on improving public information systems by combining data sources is a direct example of strengthening adaptive capacity. The goal is to help people “make safer real-time decisions” during a climate-related hazard, which aligns with building resilience against the impacts of climate change.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The article’s core theme is the health risk posed by air pollution (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke. The effort to provide better air quality information is a direct strategy to help the public reduce exposure and, consequently, the associated illnesses.

2. Under SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses…caused by disasters. The article describes the wildfires as a disaster that “destroy[ed] tens of thousands of homes and businesses,” which represents a direct economic loss. Providing information to reduce smoke exposure helps reduce the number of people affected by the health consequences of the disaster.
   • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality. The article is entirely focused on monitoring and reporting on air quality within a major city (Los Angeles). The discussion of PM2.5 levels and the Air Quality Index (AQI) directly relates to managing the environmental impact of poor air quality on the urban population.

3. Under SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The proposal to combine “federal monitors, low-cost sensors, and satellites” to create a “fuller, more timely picture of air quality” is a tangible strategy to strengthen the public’s adaptive capacity. It empowers individuals to make informed decisions to protect themselves during a climate-related hazard like a wildfire.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for Air Quality and Health (Targets 3.9 and 11.6)

   • Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Levels: The article explicitly and repeatedly mentions PM2.5 as the key pollutant being measured. It notes that EPA stations “detected elevated PM2.5 levels” and that low-cost sensors measured PM2.5 levels in the “Hazardous” range. This is a direct quantitative indicator corresponding to the official SDG indicator 11.6.2 (Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter in cities).
   • Air Quality Index (AQI): The article refers to the AQI as the tool used to communicate risk to the public, with categories from “Good” to “Hazardous.” The AQI itself serves as a composite indicator of air pollution and its potential health impact.

2. Indicators for Disaster Impact (Target 11.5)

   • Number of Homes and Businesses Destroyed: The article states that the wildfires “destroy[ed] tens of thousands of homes and businesses.” This serves as a direct indicator of the economic and social impact of the disaster.

3. Indicators for Resilience and Adaptation (Target 13.1)

   • Availability of Accessible Air Quality Information: The article’s main argument is that “Combining multiple data sources…could create easily accessible air quality information for the public.” The existence and accessibility of such integrated information systems (like the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map mentioned) can be seen as an indicator of a community’s adaptive capacity and disaster risk reduction strategy.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: respiratory-therapy.com